Reviews (page 4 of 14)
This was terrific. Great afternoon music.
Starts of kinda lame but the later half is full of great guitar licks
Clapton has got to pay the racist tax. This would be a 5/5 album otherwise.
I remember my dad blasting this album and teaching me the opening riff to Layla when I started playing guitar. Its blues heavy, but specifically white guy blues. I'm sure its nostalgia, but I cant help but love pretty much every track here. I just picture myself sitting in a smoke filled blues bar drinking cheap whiskey while Have You Ever Loved a Woman wails in the background. Even though its the standard blues riff you've heard so many times before I cant help but enjoy every second.
Blues BLEH! But some of these tunes slapped! Bell Bottom Blues and Layla stand out, Keep On Growing was also groovy. But then there’s just a lot of blues
Yawn. Why do I want British invasion blues rock when I have the actual original blues right here? Least favorite Little Wing and it ain't close.
Some absolutely classic gems. Probably Clapton’s best work. Also, some long boring blues numbers.
Cut some of the songs out and make just one single 5/5 album…. As it is: It has some great tracks, and a few songs that just don't seem necessary. Stand outs: Layla, Bell Bottom Blues, Nobody Knows When You’re Down and Out, Have You Ever Loved a Woman, Thorn Tree in the Garden, Keep on Growing. 4/5
At the start I was like hell yeah blues rock, this'll be fun! By the time I entered the 10th minute of Key to the Highway, somehow still only halfway through the album, my enthusiasm had waned considerably
Really enjoyed this album. Great sounds and presumably excellent instrument playing (not enough of an aficionado to be sure) and enough variety between tunes to feel like more than a one trick pony. Maybe 15 minutes too long…for me, an ideal album length is under an hour, not sure why.
Good, a bit boring, wouldn’t listen to again. Maybe it’s just not my taste. Obviously Layla slaps.
A joy to listen to as an album and to get such a classic song in context.
A classic but honestly not my type of music some but better than i expected i was thinking it would be more like AC/DC
My cat michi liked it, i think it was good
What a great blues album, I'd never heard of these guys before
God damn, Bell Bottom Blues is perfect. Keep on Growing, Tell The Truth, Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?, and Layla are all heaters too. Great album. I know how much you guys hate Clapton, so I'm giving this one a 5.
first time listening to this through. overrated for sure. most of this felt like middling white boy blues, which is a big time nah for me dog. also I forgot about the sappy af second half of "Layla" that goes a minute longer than the rocking part of the track and feels twice as long as it is. didn't realize Duane Allman was in this group. neat.
Fun, unique jams. Tiring after first half.
I would go over to Blake Q’s house in middle school, and in between walking to the mall and fucking around in the woods behind his house, I’d inevitably find myself with him at the desktop computer in his living room watching YouTube videos of old ass Eric Clapton in a button down and khakis wailing on the guitar and making that stupid “I’m really playin’ these blues” face he makes. I’ve never understood what makes some people think he’s the Best Guitarist of All Time not named Jimi Hendrix. When I was young and still took Rolling Stone seriously they named him the #2 best guitarist of all time. Smh. I’ve heard it said that Prince can play anything Eric Clapton can, can Clapton do everything Prince did? Also, writing an entire album about how you want to fuck George Harrison’s wife has got to put you into the Dirty Mack Hall of Fame, first ballot. Sidebar: can’t wait to do George Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass,’ a monster triple album, the sessions for which apparently led to the forming of this band. All that is to say, I didn’t exactly come into this album with the best mindset. Layla’s good, the rest is fine, fuck Eric Clapton.
I hate you Eric Clapton. 5 stars
pretty fun, but Eric Clapton's still a racist pos
That lil asshole sure can play guitar
This was solid album with some really good songs. I felt it dragged on a little, and whilst there were some genuinely brilliant songs, something was missing to make it the full five stars
Great listen. This was bluesy, funky, and easy listening. The guitar is the main character of the album, but all the instrumentals are really good. Big fan
[Epic guitar intro] "I wanna fuck George Harrison's wife" [Epic guitar solo] "Oh, baby, I need George Harrison's wife" [Epic guitar solo] "Oh, George Harrison, I'm gonna fuck your wife" [Epic guitar outro] (Repeat for 76 minutes)
Very bluesy style of rock and roll, some songs are slow paced with a very mellow tone a one with heavier guitar. Eric Clapton as always providing immaculate guitar riffs. I think the only downside of this album is that the songs are very long, with the majority of them being 5 minutes long or more. Not a huge problem but for me personally but some fo them seemed to be dragging out a little. Favourite songs: Bell Bottom Blues Key to the Highway Tell the Truth Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad? Little Wing It’s Too Late Layla
Very nice
Favorite Track: I Looked Away
Very good album. Some songs were slower than others but they were still very good. Easy listening type of album and i liked it.
Sometimes, someone is that much of a cunt that it's impossible to separate the art from the artist and that's where I'm at with Clapton. It's a shame because this is a great blues record, albeit a bloated one.
It was good a lot better than what I was expecting, but way too long. Why on Earth would this album be a hour and 16 minutes. A HOUR AND 16 MINUTES HOLY SHIT WHY WAS IT THAT LONG??? IT SURELY WASN’T THAT GOOD TO BE THAT LONG? The guy is racist. Won’t listen ever again.
Honest answer: outside of Layla, I just did not find anything I actually gave a shit about on this album. I'm sure it's good, and there's good stuff, but I was zoned out for almost out of it and nothing here brought me back in. This feels like an album my dad would make me listen to while staring at me to judge my reactions. Layla is an absolute classic, though.
It was a mistake going down the rabbit hole of the person, his shit stances on life and his personal tragedies before listening to the album. It made the album a harder listen. It starts off slow, ponderous and somewhat boring. As the pace of the songs sped up, the album grew in quality. It has it's moments, but a slide guitar and the odd solo can only carry your average blues folk rock so far. An alright album that stands below is peers in the genre, with one all time smash hit.
Lots of great hit songs and some others that are good too. This would be a great album to put on and listen to the whole thing, it's very cohesive. Nice classic rock.
F-ck Eric Clapton. I try hard to separate the art from the artist but I just can’t manage it with EC because he’s such an ass. But, damn, this is a good album! And Duane Allman is amazing, and a better guitar player than Clapton anyway. As great as these songs are, several of them go on way too long — all the juice is squeezed out of them by the end. Overindulgence is a Clapton hallmark and it prevents this album from reaching its potential. So, I give this album a 4. (Sorry Duane, wish you hadn’t died so young!).
Layla is a classic but the rest not for me.
So fine
Again, music not from my time and a bit dated for me. However this is a great record and a classic.
I'm a sucker for 70s rock. This album reminded me of a mix between like Mott the Hoople and the rolling stones.
What can I say about this album? It does seem to be made for me in a way - I don't mind improv and long winded solos, and I love blues, but man, this one was hard for me. I listened to this while stuck in traffic. Echoing other's opinions, once I arrived to work, I thought "wow this album must be over soon, but the songs are decent at least for that 45 minute drive. Where is Layla?" and opened my spotify to realize I was only 30 minutes in and there was still over an hour left before I even got to the title song. All that to say, this is long winded and repetitive enough that I cannot give it another listen unless I want to fall asleep at work. Not to say it's bad music - It's fine, some great guitar work! Then I look up who is in this band (don't judge me, I might have been raised on late 60s and early 70s, but that isn't to say my parents were Clapton fans until Tears in Heaven) and I see it's Eric Clapton. I'm young(ish) and American and even I know Clapton has a.... reputation to say the least. I'm glad I found this out after listening to the album because it at least gave me a clean slate at listening to the music. And now that I've been as long winded as this album was, I gotta say, this is solid blues music. I enjoyed probably the first 3 minutes of every song - the longer it went, the more the solos blended together. Coming from a bluegrass background, I don't mind solos, and the more creative the better, but these were not entirely creative past that 3 minute mark. I think the longer guitar solos go on, the more they sound like nooding. I could not pull a melody to hum after listening to this album - well besides Layla, so this wasn't memorable to me either. Was it a good album? yeah, it was listenable. Was it world shattering? No, but Layla is admittedly great. Would I listen to it again? Yeah it's decent background noise if I can find a secondhand copy for like $1 (for those artists of dubious moral character, I try to only listen to on spotify once and otherwise get secondhand if I liked the music enough). 3/5. Song added to playlist: Layla. Come on, its the best song on the album.
I just got Bluesbreakers 2 days ago, so I already had my fill of Eric Clapton doing the blues this week. And this is a double album. Lovely. Clapton is an incredible guitar player, but that's not enough. There's just not enough emotion in these songs. Technically, they are very good, I'm just not feeling it. Every song is at least 2 minutes too long. Every song has Clapton doing the guitar solo thing to show the world how awesome he is. Layla is far and away the best thing on this album and even it is two minutes too long.
Tjaa… Layla on hyvä biisi ja siinä se. Taitavat muusikot ovat tehneet levyllisen taitavasti soitettua varsin yhdentekevää musiikkia. 2/5
A pleasing bluesy rock and roll listen with consistency and heart.
I left for five minutes to get a cup of tea, and reader, when I returned I honestly couldn't say if we were on the guitar solo for the next track, or the same one I'd left on. Every song is a couple of minutes too long. Dull blues-rock.
Creo que la única canción que merece la pena es la de "Layla" y "Thorn tree in the Garden", me parece la mas original, el resto, la mayoría blues (creo), no me aporta nada interesante, de hecho, he tenido que hacer un esfuerzo para no dejarlo a la mitad.
Great album! Classic!
I liked the bluesy crunchy guitar, and really enjoyed some of the songs-Layla, Little Wing. Overall, not an album I want to listen to carefully, but something I’d enjoy in the background.
was in a deep photoshop sesh listening to this
Ouf, pas matière à un album double. Quelques bonnes pièces, plusieurs oubliables et quelques-unes pénibles.
Ça s'écoute, ça s'oublie. Ce qu'il y a de plus mémorable, c'est la pochette qui est exécrable. 2.75 étoiles
офигенный блюз сертифицированная сити грил музыка кайфово, под настроение некоторые длинные треки оправданы хорошими соло звучит богато, драйвово и вокал тоже хороший Походит на пинкфлоид местами и на бостон 3.7
Pretty good, no complaints but nothing outstanding either.
This was hard for me to get through. Layla is a 5 star song on a 1 star album.
I liked the soft growl in the singer’s voice. I thought the guitar was intriguing, and it had a twang to it that i liked. The lyrics felt good ona a first pass. Would listen again.
Southern blues rock with some great dueling guitar 🎸, giving yacht rock vibes. Makes me want to sit back, tap my foot, and chill. 1 song added to playlist.
'Toute la musique que j'aime, elle vient de là elle vient du Blues' Un album harmonieux et excellent, les multiples guitares se marient très bien tout en ayant des styles différents. J'ai énormément apprécié la sonorité au global De plus, pour un album aussi long, je n'ai pas ressenti de redondance. Je réécouterai évidemment
Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?
Unfortunately I'm not a fan of Eric, so many great guitarists overlooked in the 60's 70's due to media promoting him as the greatest. A one song album with a number of decent blues songs accompanying it. Always thought White room was his peak and everything else was just more of the same without a wah. Average.
Obligatory “fuck Eric Clapton” as a person. I kind of enjoyed this. A bit bloated but very listenable. Layla itself is great. Maybe a generous 3.
Not bad but didnt stand out to me
This started out strong and despite a few good tunes throughout its pretty middle of the road. There’s some lovely work on this but I don’t think I’d put this on to listen to it through.
As far as Eric Clapton projects go, I liked Derek & the Dominos' sole studio album a degree or two more than Disraeli Gears – just not quite enough to push it into four star territory for me. "Layla" really is the headliner here, so I can understand why the band chose to title the album the way they did. Highlights: I Looked Away, Keep On Growing, Anyday, Tell the Truth, Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad, Little Wing, Layla
4 Stars Good, fun guitar forward rock. It's got the song everybody knows, but some others you've probably heard/should hear. It's a bit on the long side, though. Most of the songs could have 30-90 seconds trimmed and nobody would mind. Side note: I read some of the other reviews. I'd really hate to be at a party with some of you folks. Sheesh
This was a pretty good "turn your brain off" record. Layla is the big track on here, and it doesn't feel like much of the record compares to it. Favourite Track(s): Layla, Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out Least Favourite Track(s): Thorn Tree In The Garden
Loved this type of songs
The moment I saw what album I got I smiled very widely. I love this album from head to toe, and Bell Bottom Blues is one of my favourite songs ever. An anecdote I have is that I somehow prefer the unplugged version of Nobody Knows When You're Done and Out. That kind of never happened to me with a song before, definitely not with a blues rock song. I have an underplate with an art work that really reminds me of this cover. Everytime I look at it I just gotta listen to some songs off the album. Gets you hungry for blues, not food. But that sounds like something a 60 year-old guitar teacher would put on his facebook status.
I disagree with the critics. "Layla" is the sole track on here with all time legs. Everything else on here has been done to death thousands of time before and millions of times since. It is a good album, even at one time an essential album, but I'm not convinced it is one of the 1001 most important albums in music history any longer. It is album that is important largely only to guitarists and wanna-be guitarists, and no one else. So, while the songwriting and arrangements don't do anything particularly groundbreaking for 1970, it doesn't diminish the instrumental performances by Clapton and the rest of the band, nor the quality of the engineering and mastering, so a 3 it is. "I Am Yours" was a nice change of pace for the album, but ultimately a failure at capturing anything interesting about the bossa nova format.
I’m not. Fan of Eric Clapton, and I don’t rate “Layla” either, and these songs…..little wing, cover of Hendrix, big disappointment
ein, zwei Hits, der Rest ist nicht mein Geschmack
Nice, Typical Blues Album done pretty perfectly. Didn't realize the band was formed in part by Eric Clapton, having the Layla song. The blues sound makes sense now. It's amazing how 'samey' blues can be. I've been a fan for a long time, but, it all follows such a pattern - great jam music of course, and Layla is an exception - it's not a blues jamesque track. Either way, decent Album - mental to think it was out 17 years before I was born... The world ages.
Already enjoyed Layla and Thorntree in the Garden, it was a pleasure to listen to the entire record as originally intended.
Drags on a bit for me
Bell bottom blues but that's it.
Eric Clapton is an extraordinarily talented guitarist and while I find this album comes a bit too close to overstaying its welcome, his guitarwork keeps it interesting enough.
1. I Looked Away - I believe this song does not work as an opening track. It's memorable and it feels like a filler song they would stick somewhere in the first side of the record. This is not a bad song - by any means. Its just kind of "eh" - 7.36/10 2. Bell Bottom Blues - Altough the song beginning of the song sounded uninspired, the track built up into something beautiful. It recognized it's hook and ran with it. Encapsulating harmonies and a pretty decent use of the organ. - 7.85/19 3. Keep on Growing - This should have been the opening track. This track is highly energetic and very solid overall, but it overstayed it's welcome. It should have been 2.5 to 3 minutes and not the full 6. 8.35/10 4. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out - These lyrics ring incredibly true. A very nice blues cover. Liked the chord progression, but it isn't really my style. 8.4/10 5. I am Yours - A much needed change of pace. Not much to really note... Just like most of this album it's kind of alright, but unlike the previous tracks, it's a lot more pleasant. 8.6/10 6. Anyday- Best song on this album, so far. Intoxicatingly positive. Very upbeat and hopeful. 8.9/10 7. Key To The Highway - Very solid track. Not a really big blues fan, but this was a great song overall. It did not overstay its welcome like any of the other songs either - but its just not my taste - 8.3/10 8. Tell The Truth - It really feels as though the album is picking up now. This song has an amazing groove and energy. The beginning is the only thing dragging it down to a 9, imo. A great song. 8.9/10 9. Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad - An amazing bass line, spectacular guitar solos, and stunning drums. I want to give this song a 10, but something is just holding me back. 9.75/10 10. Have You Ever Loved a Woman - Claptons basically admitting he's in love with Pattie Boyd. Solid song. No notes. 9.25/10 11. Little Wing - The album's first 10. The crying guitars and the pain in the vocals make you feel the singer's misery. Very angelic instrumental. 10/10 12. It's Too Late - I grew up with the Buddy Holly version of this song and I have to say, this version adds a layer of realness that wasn't present in Holly's. Gives it a nice edge. 9.7/10. 13. Layla - 9.8/10 - Iconic song. Not much to say. 14. Thorn Tree In The Garden - Beautiful and sincere. An amazing closing track. Stripped of everything from earlier in the album. Soothing as well. Only thing holding it back is that weird falsetto. 9.99/10. Overall: 8.9 - Highs were high. Lows were mediocre. I dont think I'd recommend this one or if I would listen to it again. I can see why someone would like it.
Some excellent riffs by a talented couple of guitarists, but overall the thing is a bit too long, and blues isn't my fave genre. Plus, Clapton is a shit person (talented, but shit).
A high 3, almost 4 stars. Middle aged dad blues, even when done well, should be kept to under 45 minutes at a time.
Very uptight and try-hardy, no chill. Eric Clapton is a minor artist. Between his cringiness and his mediocrity, he will not be on any list in 10-20 years.
Man, I wish Duane Allman and Eric Clapton could've played in a band together forever. Two of the greatest guitarists of all-time. This is chock-full of crushing blues tracks. I could listen to this over and over again. Top tracks: I Looked Away, Bell Bottom Blues, Keep on Growing, Anyday, Key To the Highway, Little Wing, Layla (duh)
Say what you will about Eric Clapton the man, but the dude knows how to play the blues. Bell Bottom Blues was huge for me when I was like 20. Some incredible guests on this album, too.
eric clapton, gotta be one of the worst dudes in rock, but damn he's got the licks. so funny to make an hour and change album with some of the most talented guys in the industry so you can wedge a really good single in there to woo your friend's wife away from him
Cultural appropriation of the blues by a racist. He can do one.
Blues fatigue will not enamour me to this any more than I ordinarily would regardless. Clapton is overrated as far as I’m concerned and nothing I heard here changed my mind. I particularly dislike Layla - dad rock for boomers.
Extremely bland. Not sure I liked anything about it.
8 / 10
3.75
Love the energy and enthusiasm on this album. Not really for me but it is very easy to listen to. High 3.5 but rounding down
No thanks. Got bored.
Banger after banger. Classic
Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs (1970) is the only studio album by Derek & The Dominos; Eric Clapton’s short-lived post Cream and Blind Faith venture. The album generator seems to be giving me a lot of guitar based blues rock but this is the first album of the seventeen I’ve reviewed so far that I own, albeit in digital format which I don’t think really counts. All the same I paid £4.99 in November 2009 to download a copy, which seems rather quaint, and pointless when I’m listening to it on Spotify while I write this because it was too much hassle to open iPlayer and find it there. I can’t remember what made me think of buying a copy in 2009. Maybe I heard Layla somewhere and thought the album had to be worth a fiver. I was right, although as is a double album with fourteen songs which tend to be on the longer side, it goes against my preference for shorter albums. The tracks are a mix of original compositions and covers including ‘Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out’ which I know from a Chris Barber and Ottilie Patterson version I have on vinyl (and prefer to Clapton’s version), and Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Little Wing’ from Axis: Bold As Love which I reviewed earlier this week. Famously Layla was inspired by Pattie Boyd, who at the time was married to George Harrison (Clapton’s friend). Eventually after Pattie and George’s marriage ended, Pattie and Eric ended up together. None of this is about the music (other than Boyd being the inspiration for some fantastic songs) but having just gone down a rabbit hole on Pattie’s personal life it seems that neither men were great husbands to her, and Clapton in particular was abusive and unfaithful and the final straw was him having children outside of the marriage while she had struggled with infertility. I was glad to hear that ownership of the painting that had been used on the cover of Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs because it reminded Eric of Pattie had made its way to her after the artist had gifted it to Eric, who gifted it to George, who in turn passed it on to Pattie. In 2024 she sold it at auction, along with other assorted personal letters from George and Eric making almost £3 million. She’s been reported as saying that the great love-triangle between them was just an ego battle between the two men. Layla is the only real standout track on the album but on the whole the album is pretty good and definitely worth a listen. It’s not up there with my all time favourites (which is why I’ve never owned a physical copy). Another side note on Layla, I absolutely love the piano section at the end of the song as it has just the right note of melancholy for me. It was played by the drummer Jim Gordon, who received shared writing credit with Clapton but it turns out that it was actually written by his then girlfriend Rita Coolidge who of course received no credit! I think technically my individual ratings work out at a three, but my instinct here is to round up instead of down. Side A: 1. I Looked Away - 3/5 2. Bell Bottom Blues - 4/5 3. Keep on Growing- 3/5; 4. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out - 3/5 Side B: 1. I Am Yours - 3/5 2. Anyday - 4/5 3. Key to the Highway - 4/5 Side C: 1. Tell the Truth - 3/5 2. Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad? - 4/5 3. Have You Ever Loved a Woman - 3/5 Side D: 1. Little Wing- 3/5 2. It’s Too Late - 3/5 3. Layla - 5/5; 4. Thorn Tree In the Garden - 2/5
Ironic that I could not wait for Keep On Going to hurry up and end. I guess that's how I feel about this album. It's ok, it's is not my cup of tea. Clapton is so damn problematic. Layla's a banger though. So yeah. 2 stars?
I cheated a little and looked at the reviews and it turns out this Clapton guy is super racist. he is, however, a pretty talented guitar player. That being said this felt very white boy blues and I didn't really vibe with it all that much.
Great album, Layla is up there with one of the greatest tracks ever
Some decent tracks, but one or two blues numbers that seemed to go on forever and that really isn't my thing. Layla is an all-timer but can't completely rescue this slightly bloated record.
No non mi è piaciuto sorry
This is very bluesy rock. I usually like this genre more than pure blues, and this is not an exception. I think it is a nice album, though it is a bit long (like all other double albums I have encountered on this challenge). Favourite songs: Bell Bottom Blues and Layla.
The first half hour while I was walking the dog in the sun were great. But then the album never ended. I am still listening to it.
It was good until I found out that Clapton is a prick so now it sounds like over pretentious noodling around. And I need to wait 1 hour until the only good song Layla is played. Can be compressed into a single and wouldn't have missed anything.
C’est pas mon style et c’était méga long, pourtant, j’ai trouvé ça super bien ! Il faudrait que je me le réécoute attentivement pour avoir une note définitive, mais c’était hyper classieux, intense, on voit pas le temps passer, une super surprise !
This was actually the Theolonious Monk idk why it changed
A little slow and meandering. Decent songwriting though
Decent set of songs that i guess were all covers? Little wing and Layla were the best
Actually really good
I am the son of a Rock Dad, so a couple of these songs reached into my soul, even as I repeated "Fuck Eric Clapton" under my breath like a mantra while slogging through the filler blooze jams
I haven't explored blues much as a genre, but from what I've heard listening to this album and Gary Moore, I'm pretty partial to it and need to explore it more. Key To The Highway is insanely good.
Some pretty iconic songs on this album – these guys are consummate professionals, and Clapton's voice is perfect for rock.
All timer. One of my very favorite albums and one of the only double albums that I don’t find to be too long. So many great songs. I looked away, bell bottom blues, title track, little wing cover, all awesome… The blues numbers all rip, and in my mind the best of the bunch is Anyday, which for my money is one of the best rock songs ever written. I don’t love solo Clapton, but this album is a true 10/10. Rip Bobby.
On the one hand, rock and roll peaked with the song Layla. On the other hand, I could probably cut this album in half and end up with a better album--not everything needs to be a double album and in a way we get a very appropriate album title. There are some other outstanding songs here (I Looked Away, Keep on Growing) surrounded by an unfortunate amount of filler (Nobody Knows, Key to the Highway). 3.5 if I've ever seen one.
The highs are high, the lows are drawn out and boring. Layla and Bell Bottom Blues are all timers, and there are pieces of other songs that highlight the talent, but there's too much dreck, it's not tight enough to contend with the best rock albums of all time. I also think Clapton is a wee bit overrated.
Now I quite like a guitar but this was a lot and got boring real fast and I don’t know, I was expecting something revolutionary the way people bang on about this guy? Layla is a great song obviously but I knew that before listening to over an hour of this.
there were some decent songs here
Eric Clapton is a racist, rapist cunt who doesn't deserve my time. I am not listen to this album. -5/5
I wasn't aware that Duane Allman was in DnD, but it explains why the guitar is so enjoyable. This is a perfect album. So authentically groovy, energetic and bluesy. The iconic guitar riffs, Allmans slide guitar, the solos, are so intoxicating without becoming self indulgent. Eric Claptons low, gritty vocals accompany the blues guitar so well, and I love how forward and unashamed the lyrics are.
Best: Bell Bottom Blues I loved this album so much. I had previously only listened to Layla, but this entire album felt so alive. To think this whole record was written about Pattie Boyd, with the entire emotional focus centred so intensely on one (married) woman is CRAZY. Production wise Layla is so cohesive; it feels organic and loose, which works really well on such raw and deeply personal material. Progressions are bluesy and emotional, guitars have a roughness to them, drums are gritty, nothing feels compressed, everything works perfectly together. Guitar work across the tracks is probably my favourite element of this album; the opening riff of Layla is so iconic, and the slide guitar gives the music a sort of wailing quality that sounds amazing. Clapton’s vocals were raw and authentic; the vulnerability in Bell Bottom Blues made the lyrics feel painfully sincere. Lyrically, Layla chose not to hide behind metaphors and instead went with blatant romantic devotion/desperation; however, the passion that Eric delivers them with compensates for this. Layla felt like the perfect combination of technical excellence and emotional authenticity; every single element of this album felt aligned. Great album.
Wow. Just wow. This album was so amazing, it would be 5 stars even without Layla. Layla was definitely the highlight of the album, but I was surprised at how good the other songs were, especially the cover songs. This is why I really like double albums, the whole album feels like a story or journey rather than a few songs. And this was no exception. Tremendous album, not a single song stopped short of a masterpiece. I will definitely have to give this more listens in the future.
Classic of dad rock. It is pretty good though also overly indulgent in places. A worthy member of the canon in my opinion.
1. Okay here we go. TBH i find eric clapton annoying, I have NO idea why, maybe that's somebody else's opinion that I stole years ago and never questioned I DON'T KNOW. I just don't think that he should be in a rock band. Also I always thingk Layla is Lola by the kinks? i think? and i DO NOT LIKE LOLA! So I've always disliked layla unfortunately because of the similarity in the name. I'm a moron i know. Anyways, this first song isn't too bad I guess. I don't think ive ever heard of derek and the dominos, for some reason i though they were like a jazz band from the 50s or something? I guess this first song wasn't terrible but nothing special to me. 2. Also, as I said before, I don't love the 70s. Okay I just looked up a photo of eric clapton in 1970 with short hair and clean shaven and he was a cutie pie. Clapton REDEEMED. The song's alright. Okay I actually like the melody in the chorus. 3. Okay, off to a good start, did aerosmith kind of rip this off? Okay now they've lost me. A little to jumpy for the intro. I'm a little bored SORRY. 4. Okay, had to give up on the last one a little prematurely because they kept doing the same thing over and over again unfortunately I didn't even like it the first time. This one's not bad though, off to a good bluesy start. The little guitar riff is a giving somewhere by the beatles JUST A TINY BIT DON'T LIE YOU HEARD IT TOO. And then the endless guitar solos with no discernible melody. Great. 13. okay, i'm not having fun so i've skipped straight to layla, here goes. okay i definitely recognize this riff. Okay i've heard enough though. I'm done. Thank you.
Great vibes and some real bangers
bien
не дуже шосд якесь кантрі
Made for easy listening. Only really knew bell bottom blues and Layla beforehand, but nice and bluesy
Yet another Eric Clapton contribution to the list. I like that the title points out the most important song though
imagine being George Harrison and your buddy drops an 1.5 hour album about how he wants to bang your wife
Brave
Classic Southern Rock, Classic KCalRoq
Eh not claptons best. Some okay guitaring
A crap ton of Clapton guitar noodling 🥱🙄
Kinda cool but nothing really pops out from the vocals. Just feels like people jamming together. Layla is still good though.
Layla er et godt nummer, men bedre i Claptons cover. Resten var rocket, men ikke tilnærmelsesvis bemærkelsesværdigt.
6/10 - at first I thought it was a drag but it grows
booooriiiinnngg
I like this blend of blues and rock, its enjoyable.
poena sensus type of album
Really liked the sound, but it got a little repetitive for me towards the end. The funk can't be contained!
I can dig it. Lot of great songs, but also a lot of filler
Layla, surrounded by 1h 7m of middling filler. Meh.
Sounds like they recorded Layla then said “Well we can’t just have one song” and made a bunch of mediocre blues rock to fill out an album. Clapton’s a good guitarist but this one wasn’t super fun to listen to. It does get an extra point for Layla, which is a classic for a reason. Fantastic song.
This is as boring as it gets. Music that wifes get beaten up to in movies. Oh…and f*ck Eric Clapton.
Si Nunca escuchaste a Clapton empezá por acá.
Here for the blues guitar. Didn't leave disappointed. Little Wing and Bell Bottom Blues stood out. 4/5
This is the best Clapton album other than "Blind Faith.' It has some great ballads and other assorted love and blues songs. Top tracks: "Bell Bottom Blues," "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," "Layla," "I Looked Away"
It’s fine. Great 70s rock.
--I Looked Away...not bad. not great --Bell Bottom Blues...a little long but Clapton's in good voice here --Keep on Growing...this rips --Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out...generic cover --I Am Yours...we mix it up with something tropical. enjoyable --Anyday...fun rocker. I like Bobby Whitlock's voice --Key to the Highway...it's great that recording technology gave us access to black blues musicians which also provided all of us the opportunity to grow as people and not be totally racist shitbags right, Eric? --Tell the Truth...boring rock. grew on me by the end --Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?...another ripper. the bassline is great, wish it were louder in the mix --Have You Ever Loved a Woman...just got PTSD flashbacks from that Bryan Adams song. thankfully this is just a standard blues number --Little Wing...Jimi's is better and shorter. brevity-soul-wit and all that --It's Too Late...generic --Layla...I mock of Clapton for his general craftsmanship-over-artistry approach but this song always felt authentic to me. Maybe because it was cowritten by a schizophrenic convicted murderer --Thorn Tree in the Garden...a surprising acoustic ballad. this LP makes me want to listen to more Whitlock
Gotta go through the same shit over and over until you get to Layla. And at that point, you're pretty much done with the album and just want to get it over with.
This album could have done without the superfluous 12-bar blues songs. The little wing cover goes on for a couple repetitions for solos too long and even the back half of Layla is some forgettable piano arrangement. It is not implausible to blame this excess and lack of self editing on Clapton's ego. I normally appreciate guitar noodling but there are limits to how much filler you can get away with.
Jah! Wie zei er dat dubbelalbums altijd te lang zijn? Nou, niet als je Eric Clapton en z'n vriendjes even lekker tekeer laat gaan met hun bluesrock. Het superieure gitaarspel van Zijne Ericheid vult samen met die ene broer van de Allman Brothers met gemak de vijf kwartier die ervoor staat. En dan ook nog hartenkreet Layla erop, meer heb je echt niet nodig.
Ik hoor in het begin heet even typisch engels jaren '60 geluid met wat verlengde lettergrepen, snel aangevuld met een amerikaanse country-klank. Slaat de band een intercontinentaal bruggetje? De lange lettergrepen worden de rest van het nummer benut om telkens op een andere manier uit te schieten. Het doet me wat denken aan de muziekles van Van der Laan en Woe. Het album schiet al snel naar bluesrock, wat een heel stuk prettiger is. Ik ga steeds meer interesse krijgen in de band. Wie zijn dit toch? Er komt zelfs nog iets heel bekends voorbij. En dan, bijna aan het eind, pling, valt het kwartje. Aahhh Layla. Tja, de albumtitel zei het eigenlijk al...
De Engelse Cuby and the Blizzards leggen een heerlijk potje bluesrock op de mat. Waar de ene gitaarsolo snel de andere opvolgt, want Eric Clapton en Duane Allman proberen hier elkaar de loef af te steken. Over virtuositeit gesproken. Dubbelaars zijn over het algemeen iets te lang, en deze vormt daarop niet direct een uitzondering. Als je dan de megahit vrijwel achteraan zet, kom je makkelijk weg met die 76 minuten. En heb je achteraf ook meteen het idee dat je een heerlijke plaat hebt geluisterd. De 4,5 ster ronden we dan moeiteloos af naar boven, want alleen voor Layla zou je al 5 sterren kunnen geven.
Very good 70s blues/rock album I dug a lot of the vibes and guitar playing.
Good stuff, everything sounds great but nothing super standout to me other than Layla of course. 7/10
Separating the music from the person, I really enjoy this album. It does feel drawn out and repetitive sometimes, but it was a nice listen. Of course Layla carries the track list a smidge, but I think the others could hold their own to a point. 8/10
Not for me. I found this boring. I knew Layla. I prefer the unplugged version from my childhood. I much prefer Eric Clapton solo.
Listenable.
These fellows sure love their guitars. I mostly liked the first 2/3 of each song, which surprised me.
7 - GOOD
Hadn’t listened to this one in ages. Still a classic well beyond Layla. Many other gems.
Putting aside the fact that Clapton is a dick personally, there is some seriously fantastic guitar playing on this album. It was a joy hearing two of the best guitar players of all time, Clapton and Duane Allman, jamming together. The chemistry between these musicians is obviously fantastic. The interplay between the relaxed slide guitar work from Allman and the infamously precise playing from Clapton really created some unique music. It is sad that their collaboration was cut short by Allman’s death a years later. I suspect that the world missed out on some amazing music. This album is one of the best blues-rock albums I’ve heard. It is also a guitar opus. I like this a lot more than I thought I would. I like it even more on subsequent relistens.
Mediocre. I have not enjoyed this album one bit. MAYBE I wouldn’t mind it while driving, but I’d probably hate it.
I heard The Band as a big influence on the first three tracks and thought oh maybe this won't be so bad but then the dreary blues widdling started in earnest and then I read about how badly ripped off Rita Coolidge was for the Layla coda and reflected on how there is always some new horrible detail to learn about Clapton's world. That cover of Little Wing is overstuffed and clueless.
Very solid. Fun to learn about the history of this one.
the first two tracks and the title track are fantastic. the rest meh
Undoubtedly one of Eric's finest musical hours. A brilliant collaboration of musicians with some fantastic work from Duane Allman, some real Clapton classics on here, amazing musicianship and songwriting. There are numerous reissues of the album of course, including a massive box set with 7 CDs, a DVD and a double vinyl, if you can find one (and afford it). I've got the 2CD 2011 edition and that will do me nicely for this morning.
Before Clapton found rock, he had blues. Much like Fleetwood Mac, solid foundation album.
Only heard layla before this. Honestly very impressed
This could really have done with more work on the production floor. I get that you’re amazing guitarists, but every song doesn’t need two minutes of meandering duelling solos
i don’t mind the blues every now and then and this was cool, maybe a bit long but definitely some good songs
16/02/2026 *1. i looked away - already kindof know this one. bass is so nice with the guitars.... love the vocals. love the tambourine(?). *2. bell bottom blues - like this one already! love how dramatic the chorus is..... love the slide guitar..... 3. keep on growing - liking the beginning....love the chorus!! bass is really nice :) guitar solo about 5 mins in is making me go crazy!!! maybe a bit long, but can't say i didn't enjoy all of it :) *4. nobody knows you when you're down and out - absolutely adore the guitars together. the slide guitar is insane!!!!!!!!! love the organ in the back. going crazy right now. how have i never listened to this before!!!! ending is phenomenal!!!! 5. i am yours - sounds more folksier to start... really loving the slide guitar instrumental. sweet little break :) *6. anyday - loving the slide guitar immediately. aahgh!! loving it, but considering how long the album is, this song did not need to go on so long lol 7. key to the highway - loving this album, but not sure i need seven more songs of it! just more similar blues music. still great, just maybe a bit much to listen to all at once. *8. tell the truth - really liking the groove in this one.... slide guitar solo is insane. love it! great ending! *9. why does love got to be so sad? - drums are realllly nice on this one. love the bass as well. great!! *10. have you ever loved a woman? - slower paced. love the instrumental about 2;30 in.... crazzzzyyyyy...... don't know anything about clapton apart from the music, but getting the vibe that he was a serial(!!!!) homewrecker from these songs... *11. little wing - really loving the intro... more psychedelic. reaalllly beautiful <3 12. it's too late - really liked this one :) *13. layla - love it already!!!! even though i reaaallly enjoyed it, i think i enjoyed track four more, which i wasn't expecting going into this! 14. thorn tree in the garden - immediately more softer, sentimental.... nice ending :) really loved this one. thought i'd like it from the songs i'd heard before, but was a bit concerned about the length of it - some of the songs did drag a bit, but not to the extent where it got on my nerves. slide guitar was absolutely incredible. oh my god just read eric clapton's wikipedia after reading some of the reviews.... how racist do you have to be to support enoch powell?????
This is good. Layla is of course a standout but it has a lot of good songs. I hadn’t listened to this before but I am glad I did.
Clapton é um desgraçado, mas a faixa titulo é realmente muito especial. O resto é menos.
better than expected... darn
Layla is a certified hit. The rest just kinda drifts off into meh
Overall Enjoyment - 2 Re-listen Desire - 2 Playlist Potential – 1 Energy Level - 2 Groove / Rhythm – 2 Listening Comfort – 2 “Wow” Factor – 1 Score - 4 Best:4.Nobody Knows You're Down And Out 5.I Am Your 6.Anyday 7.Key to Highway 8.Tell the Truth 9.Why Does Love Got to Be so Sad? 10.Have You Ever Loved a Woman 13.Layla 17.Snake Lake Blues 20.One More Chance 22.Got to Get Better In a Little While.
Layla is een topper, de rest misschien wat saaier?
Love the art but not the artist.
When to listen: In a old dive bar, on vinyl, major yacht rock vibes. From the reviews I see racism/anti vax vibes (0/5) and acknowledge of how much of the blues is stolen from African American culture (0/5) but damn I love this era of music. Five stars but hate myself for it…
-S Tier- Bell Bottom Blues Layla -A Tier- I Looked Away Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out -B Tier- Anyday Why Does Love Got to be So Sad? -C Tier- Keep On Growing Have You Ever Loved a Woman? Little Wing -D Tier- I Am Yours Key to the Highway Tell the Truth It’s Too Late Thorn Tree in the Garden AVG SCORE: 2.5
6.5/10 Ive already listened to this one. Love the kinda country westerny cowboy vibe I get from this album. I do wish there was a bit more variety between the tracks though because it gets a bit samey especially for such a long album. (I listened to the extended version) Fav tracks: Layla, I Looked Away, Belle Bottom Blues
Not bad! I liked the vibe, should give it a second listen tho
Goes a bit long but it hits Cool blues rock and soulful vocals Excellent guitar work Can definitely see why it’s a classic
Very American rock and roll, very self-indulgent too. A lot of these tracks sound like jam sessions or displays of technical skill which have been lightly reworked into something that could be called a song, they don't sound like organic tunes. And it's overlong, I was prepared for this to be over halfway through side 2 out of 4.
That's is an album which gets rave reviews and I'm not sure why really. With the exception of Layla which is undoubtedly brilliant all the way through I can't say this did much that I would say justified it's status.
Fuck me dead this is so uninspiring. Just nothing interesting happening at all in here. To be honest I feel this sound is generic and played out by 1970 even.
For how long this was, a little too repetitive, but still overall a pretty enjoyable listen.
I think this is probably a four star album, but I only know one song. There’s got to be a reason I haven’t heard the entire thing in 50 years. And I still haven’t. I’m docking it a star for that.
Amazing rock album, some disco, some pop, some ballads, Layla is obviously great, but overall really solid album
Whole album is very good. Highlights are the popular songs. Layla, Bell Bottom Blues, and the cover of Little Wing. While it is pretty clean and slick for being a blues album, it's probably the dirtiest sounding I've ever heard Clapton. I mean that in a good way.
Better than I thought it was gonna be but Clapton is one who, rightly or wrongly (as I know opinion on him varies), I can't separate the art and the artist. He's not Kanye levels of knob head (or maybe he is) which means I can bring myself to listen to this but it's not one I'll return to, however good Layla is.
Its making me want play guitar hero, lay in a hammock and smoke a jay, or relive my days in 'nam prefer the moodier tracks: Little Wing, I Am Yours, Bell Bottom Blues, Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out hot take- acoustic version of Layla is way better? would pull this out for a low-key cookout or a lazy morning round the house :)
Meh. Listened to 3/4 of this and had to stop, not my favorite at all
Nothing cut thru the generic blues guitar/vocals sound except Layla, Anyday and Bell Bottom Blues
He plays that guitar so good
This is masturbatory guitar bullshit, which is why I'm giving it a high rating
2.5 but he’s a dick
2.5. Я не можу чогось прям поганого сказати за цю музику, вона цілком ок. Її головна проблема, що це все занадто рівно, тримається якогось середнього рівня з буквально декількома піснями, які можна назвати хайлайтами, і триває 1 годину 15 хв. Також є відчуття, що не було б тут Лайли, то цей альбом в списку теж не був.
Я ніколи не був фанатом Клептона. Такий собі доволі дефолтний батя-блюз-рок, втім і якогось роздратування не викликає. Просто ок фонова музика.
LAYLA = 5. the other assorted love songs = 3.
Too many Jam sessions recorded
Honestly, I really liked this. Maybe I just like generic classic rock, I don't know. The twin guitars with a superb rhythm section is just fantastic. And Layla really is one of the best songs ever.
Possibly the middest blues band of all time. "Layla" cannot save this album.
A deeply personal album fueled by obsession and virtuosity, but one that often mistakes emotional excess for depth. The extended jams and indulgent arrangements dilute the impact of its strongest songs. While “Layla” itself remains iconic, much of the record feels weighed down by its own intensity.
Pretty decent music,felt a bit filled out though
Excellent musically and vocally!
Flott 👍
supa good, but didn’t finish
3.5
all flops besides layla
One of the best blues album of all time. Duane Allmans slide guitar work is on full display. The juxtaposition between the British Invasion sound and southern blues is great. The overall sound and feel of the record is incredible. One of the best albums of all time.
I Looked Away - 3.5/5 Bell Bottom Blues - 4/5 Keep On Growing - 3.5/5 Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out - 3.5/5 I am Yours - 3.5/5 Anyday - 3.5/5 Key To The Highway - 2/5 Tell The Truth - 2/5 Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad? - 2/5 Have You Ever Loved A Woman? - 2/5 Little Wing - 3/5 It's Too Late- 3/5 Layla - 3/5 Thorn Tre In The Garden - 2.5/5
Clapton is talented, for sure, but the actual blues are way more fun to listen to
While I was listening to Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970) by Derek and the Dominoes, I found myself wondering: do I have a personal beef with Eric Clapton? Because I genuinely don’t understand it. I respect him immensely as an artist, but everything I’ve listened to so far has felt completely outside my taste. I remember listening to another album of his — 461 Ocean Boulevard — and not liking it either. So, yeah… maybe it’s just not my universe. Another thing that bothers me (well, not exactly bothers me, but definitely doesn’t charm me) is how huge this album is. The tracks are endlessly long, ten-minute jams that make me think, “Okay… can we wrap this up?” What is actually going on here? That said, there are a few standouts for me: “Bell Bottom Blues,” “Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad,” “It’s Too Late,” and “Thorn Tree in the Garden,” which is absolutely stunning. I’m sure I’ll listen to more Eric Clapton in the future and maybe find something I truly love. But this particular record — his era with Derek and the Dominoes — was really not for me. So I’m giving it one star. And it’s nothing personal.
AHAHAHA MY GOAT (kinda). Literal favourite song of all time on this (guess which one). The album flows wonderfully and has tons of chill songs, however it is bloated and not every song is a winner so it’s not perfect. Believe me the title track alone tempts me to give it a 5.
Não gostei.
Fine.
Classic rock at its finest
Aah, lovely Eric.
A classic from Clapton. Maybe it should’ve been cut down to one LP, but I shouldn’t complain. It’s still makes for a very good two disc set.
Eric Clapton at his best. Duane Allman on slide guitar. What more could you want? Some killer blues tracks and some killer rock tracks.
70's rock just hits different
This is the first Eric Clapton thing I didn’t totally hate. Can’t really deny that Layla riff & after hearing so many bad jam bands, this felt more competent & written.
One ok song isn’t saving this. The most impressive part is that I know who Eric Clapton is without knowing this “band”
First half was alright but the second half of this album is great. Too bad they only released one album as a group.
p195. 1970. 4 stars. Some of the finest guitar work ever laid down on record. Eric might get the kudos, but the real star of the show is Duane Allman. As with all double albums, too much filler and excessive wankage - no-one needs multiple 6+ minute tracks - but when its good, its brilliant, with Clapton showing just what a good songwriter he can be. A bit of judicious editing down to a single album and this would have been an easy 5 star.
cool shit
Bluecitos god aires a queen y a pink floyd
Classic album with some iconic singles. Strong throughout but I did not care for the Little Wing cover.
Layla is an amazing song and the only one worth revisiting. I look at the album name and suspect they knew this as well.
The most accurate album title since I got 69 Love Songs by Magnetic Fields. It really is Layla, which is genuinely great, GoodFellas piano outro and all ... and some other, largely interminable songs.
LOVE SO MUCH
This album is way too long, and fuck Eric Clapton, but honestly the playing on this is spectacular, and these are all pretty groovy and cool blues rock performances (since they’re not all original songs). It gets pretty repetitive after a while, but then Layla comes to save the day. I don’t think I would listen to the whole thing again, but I could definitely see myself revisiting some of these songs for a little classic rock action
Unlike Eric Clapton as a person, there was nothing in this album that was offensively bad. It's all decent music, though there's nothing really groundbreaking here; not even Layla, the best track by far. Also, while each song is fine on an individual level, the full album is just feels soooo long. It's kind of a slog to get through.
Well ok... This is one of the most strange album for me to rate in terms of being bias. On one hand it has one of my guitar heroes, Duane, shredding his heart, mind and guts out. On the other, it has one of my non-heroes creepily singing about wanting to bang wife of his close freind, which happen to be one of the best beatle.I almost envy to ones who listen to this thing without a context. Well, the music is awesome, so I guess 5. Still, I suggest you never trust Eric.
Gut gemachtes Album. Spannend, dass hier Duane Allman auf 11 der 14 Tracks mitspielt. Insgesamt schöne Melodien, gute Energie, aber auch ein wenig zu gniedelig, ohne den tollen Jamcharakter von den Allman Brothers zu haben. Ziemlich gut, bin aber auch kein Riesenfan von.
One track in, I was feeling mean-spirited about this album, but I kept on listening and after a while realised I was enjoying it; most of it anyway. The ballad-y ones, eg the final song, aren’t so great. But most of the bluesy tracks are really good.
I've obviously heard Layla many times before but didn't realise that was quite different than the other tracks on the album. Most tracks are quite bluesy. Thorn Tree In The Garden is also quite different. Not sure why they had such varied styles. Good guitar and piano with strong blues vocals so a pretty decent album.
yes
Oh shit, Layla is by them! This is the only song I recognized from this album. Anyways, this album was a great snapshot of good ol 70s rock. I liked it but didn't love it. 3 stars.
Good but not for me
I’m learning from this list I’m a sucker for the blues, and sadly, for Eric Clapton’s guitar. 0/5 for his racist ass, 3/5 for this album, which, despite what many of the reviews on this site would have me believe, had a lot of amazing songs besides just Layla. There are definitely some gratuitous tracks, but it’s a solid record.
The soul of the lyrics and instruments is impressive across the record. I am impressed that they ranged so many different types of styles within 14 tracks. I especially enjoyed the riffs on Key To the Highway.
I liked the versatility from this album, my favorites were keep on growing and Little Wing
I know Clapton can play his guitar. And he proves it here again. Only just because of "Layla" I give it the three stars. But I'd really like to rate it down because his vocals are not my favour and the album itself and even the only hit is way too long. 2,5
2.99
⭐⭐⭐ Layla är en 10 poängare till låt och versionen av Little wing är riktigt bra. Resten är inte dåligt men tycker det är ganska oinspirerat. Det är välpolerad bluesrock men blues ska vara skitigt och med mycket känsla, det saknar jag på detta album. Tack vara Layla får det ändå en 3a.
Starts bad, but I do like the sound. But it quickly descends into that 70s white guy blues rock slop that is all over this list. And it's a double album. Side 4 is half cool. 3 Heard before? That 1 song Owned: No 47/189 (25%) Will I get: No
"Mom, can we listen to Freddie King, Buddy Guy, Big Bill Broonzy, BB King, or Jimi Hendrix?" "We have Eric Clapton at home."
Is Eric Clapton the best example in history of the 'Fake it til you make it' phenomenon? I feel like he heard blues music and proceeded to play music like he was a blues musician until he got quite good at it. Then after improving as a musician and getting some attention he started playing guitar like he was one of the best, until people thought he was. Of course my feelings are incontrovertibly disproven by the opinions of far more serious people than me, his unassailable musical resume and collaborations. Speaking of feelings, Eric Clapton once, and may still, thought England should be reserved for only...never mind. I challenge anyone to listen to the Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix versions of Little Wing and still disagree with what I have written here.
I’ll make this quick. Tried listening to it, half way through started to read a book thought it may be ok as background music. I was wrong, it’s got nothing to offer me only offending me with that version of little wing.
At least they knew Layla was by far the best song
Great guitars playing the blues. But the standout of course is Layla.
Blues by whites… mediocre at best. Don’t care about the guitar legends doing this. Layla is fine… until it drags on and becomes boring.
Too long, couldn’t get through it, was getting repetitive.
I liked it but maybe a bit too the same, the songs didn’t have enough character in them for me.
4/10
I haven’t listened to Clapton in a long time and I must admit I kinda missed him.
Lovely dovely. Simpel subliem en gevoelig.
Good stuff.
META: I Have Had A Spiritual Revelation
Outstanding. One of the best
viva a talaricagem *9 minutos de solo de guitarra
Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Great - Just shows a mastery of their craft. I think this album has one or two weaker tracks that hold it back from masterpiece status but this is a wonderful record.
Fantastic stuff. A little long but very enjoyable.
some good songs mixed with some good mid
Loved it! Nice Clapton. Very fun.
I like Clapton and Layla. The lyrics/singing on this album don't do it for me. The guitar is great.
Early Eric Clapton
Great classic rock with Clapton & Allman
Never got around to this one till now — glad I finally did. The record sounds great and the songs are engaging and performed well. However, it’s too long and could benefit from having the blues tunes removed. Brits never quite play it right. Also, Eric Clapton is a hoe. NN This is my first Eric Clapton listen. I liked it. Nostalgic and warm sounding and is clearly well made. I agree with Noah that it’s too long, and I must say that anything Eric Clapton-made is going to be diluted by his massive douchbaggery. I enjoyed every song less simply because his grubby little fingers is all over em. -Ruby
8/10 – Very Good
Ah Eric Clapton, we meet again. Despite the general disdain for this man, Layla... is a good album -- probably some of the best blues rock by anyone not named the Rolling Stones. "Live"-like instrumentation and lush experience.
Everyone’s favourite racist (allegedly) leaves the awesomeness of Cream and makes a new, lesser band. A bunch of good quality blues tracks plus that famous one. 3.5 stars.
Dad rock to the extreme, ya know it’s playing at a dive
I really love the guitar on this.
Everyone sings their praises about Layla, yet forget to mention that halfway through the song it abruptly loses all momentum and drags out what could've been an amazing song to one that's mediocre at best.
Good album
Not my cuppa
White guys playing the blues, Layla still rocks though
Rock uit de jaren 70, dit zou toch wel wat moeten zijn voor mij. En obv het eerste nummer kan ik zeggen, ja dit vind ik heel relaxed. Die stem, die klinkt wel verrekte veel als die van Eric Clapton... En verrek! Het is hm ook. Geinag. Ja dit gaat de goede kant op, heerlijke gitaar tussendoor. Pfffoaaahh wat heerlijk is dit zeg. Gwn lekkere bluesy rock. Ge-wel-dig. Gewoon, puur genieten. Oooooh, Key to the Highway is zo lekker old school blues. Geen poes pas, gwn het simpele bassrifje, gitaarsolootje erover en praten over wat er in je opkomt. Genieten zeg. De laatste nummers vind ik dan toch wat minder. Nog steeds erg fijn, begrijp mij niet verkeerd. Maar als je lekker in de bluese vibe zit, dan zijn dat laatste 2/3 nummers ineens wel even schakelen. Dit hadden ze beter andersom kunnen doen. Had oprecht een 5 in mijn hoofd, maar twijfel nu toch een beetje. Ik vind het beter dan andere albums die ik een 4 heb gegeven.. Fuck it. 5 it is.
Great sound. Incredibly talented musicians. Clapton is an ass hat and I can't stand to listen to him.
Layla and other assorted drivel
Ten stars, simply stellar. If I have to explain that you’d never understand.
Considero Clapton um artista superestimado. Demasiadamente norte-americano para um músico britânico, e é o que este disco mostra. Blues cansativos e seus solos "manjados", duelos vocais convencionais e arranjos que não favorecem a qualquer sutileza melódica. Duas faixas merecem destaque: "Bell Bottom Blues" e "Layla".
6/10
Very decent album. It loses me a lot at the halfway point, there's a steady decline from the smartly-written opener with those tortured sounding backing vocals to the nothingness of say Key To The Highway, Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?, or It's Too Late. Long sprawling blues improv sections from one of the best guitarists ever but mysteriously absent are truly crazy guitar solos. I think they are great, but I was underwhelmed. I know jazz/rock/metal guitarists that blow this stuff out of the water. I think his tone is great, he can really make that thing shriek, but I was surprised at how underwhelming the long bluesy songs were.
I could listened to this album on repeat all day. I love the mix of rock, blues, and Americana.
Really good. Layla is timeless.
What a pile of wank.
Lame
Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad was my favourite, I think. Everything was really long and although the songs were good, they just weren't good enough to be 'omg I need this song to be longer' you know? Maybe just back in the day it was common for songs to be longer than 5mins. A looot of instrumentals (even a 9min songs dedicated to just that) sorry not a music connoisseur (anymore, because I'm not in Music class anymore) so I felt sometimes it got a bit excessive. Overall good album, maybe could have been rated higher if I were in the mood? IDEK
Layla is a great song and I can see why this album is influential. Great guitar playing, lots of jamming. This isn't 100% my taste but I appreciate it for what it is.
Great leads and guitars, great musicianship, just not as enjoyable as I'd hoped.
Loved the album growing up, classic blues rock
honestly pretty lovely. the way they play with meter and emphasis is fun sometimes. I'd heard Layla before, of course, and it's wonderful. the switch halfway through the song is soooo good. most of the songs blended into the background of my day but in a very enjoyable fashion. the last five songs are a solid run, Thorn Tree in The Garden was so beautiful in a way that was just completely unexpected The first two songs were highlights (I love the "I'm such a loooonely man" in I Looked Away, and the "I don't wanna faaade awayyy" in Bell Bottom Blues), but a lot of the songs in the middle were forgettable (not bad, just forgettable) so I'd say a 4/5? writing this part monday morning to say i’ve been listening to a few of these songs over and over and over again
Teetering on a 2 just from how long the album is, but the sounds were overall good. It took me a few times to fully listen to the album.
fine guitar work all around but nothing that really stood out to me. Layla is of course the one that everyone knows (thanks guitar hero)
Layla is just such an iconic song. I really enjoyed this aside from a few slower parts, but I can see why it’s a classic.
Really not sure what to rate this one. I thought to myself, “this is the first really long album that hasn’t felt really long,” and then I checked and I was only on song six. I played this before class on Friday and one of my students said “isn’t this album just incredibly long?” which maybe isn’t the best thing for your album to be known by. There wasn’t a song I disliked on the album, but there were definitely some to cut to make it more complete.
I've done a bunch of different drafts of this review because I can't figure out what tone I want to go with. So, I think I said in one of my past reviews, I don't remember which one and you can go look for it if so inclined, I don't really like traditional blues at all. Eric Clapton, who manages to be audacious enough to be both a very traditional blues guitarist and a high key racist, usually misses me. I have immense respect for the musicianship but can’t remember the last time I sought out anything by him (future Brandon’s note, I apparently listened to Disraeli Gears like 2 months ago lol) Of course, I’ve always liked both of the songs I already knew from this album but it never really occurred to me to check out the whole thing, given my arms length approach to Clapton. Maybe it’s the Duane Allman of it all but this album kinda blew me away for the most part. I’m going to give it my general “album too long” gripe, but please know I found this super enjoyable and it’s the first time in a very long time I’ve listened to a new (to me) classic rock album and been so totally floored. “I wrote a song about being in love with my best friend’s wife and then married my best friend’s wife and my best friend was such a chill bro he was the best man at the wedding and now that song is primarily associated with a montage of dead gangsters / 5”
Layla is a classic, but the rest of this didn’t do much for me.
Love Clapton and there are some great tunes on here
I'd probably give this a 3.5 if I could, parts of it are quite good, parts are more just "fine". Keep On Growing is a pretty great song, and the title track is certainly an all-timer (made from a good song into a legendary song primarily due to the piano outro). No disputing Clapton's status as a guitar god, and fun to hear him with another legend in Duane Allman. Some of the more straight-ahead blues moments are kinda just OK for me. Still a good listen, probably not one I'd revisit too much outside of a few songs.